National Republican., 1887-11-16
Billy FORD TALKS
ABOUT SOME WASHINGTON INsTITU.
TIoNS,
Ara Strives to Group Few Timely
Hints.

In every large city there is q constantly
increasing demand for good laundry work,
and IL is the wide-awake man who "gets
there, every time. The cry OF the times
is for quick work--washing, starching and
ironing completed in day. Your grand
mothers would have looked upon the mod
ern steam laundry as an interloping "con-
trivance" that was "sartin ruination to
good clothes" But you and l have learned
that the work Of cleansing aud renovating
personal linen has been reduced to one of
the incest sciences of the day. When the
Dexter steam laundry first put their
"errand boy" onto the street they
got me for a customer, and
have made IL o point
on several occasions to test their capacity
for quick work. l am satisfied. And the
man doesn't live who is more particular
about such matters than myself. have
taken tho trouble to look through the Dex-
ter Laundry, and the work is done so sys-
tematically and thoroughly that am sur
prised so many people who pride themselves
on tidneas and gentility can tolerate the
slovenly surroundings.and.disgusting opera
tions Of the too.abuudant heather. The
Chinese may be getting on in the telephone
and banking business, but think all decent
people should choose the neatest, speediest,
and best methods the laundryman's skill
has devised. The Dexter is at the corner OF
Sixth and G streets northwest, and the
errand boy is omnipotent.
AS no one has fallen at my feet aud de-
clared that he wanted TO choke every idea
OF the market out of my mind, l am going
to speak this morning Of one OF the oldest
butter, cheese, and egg houses In town, aud
one that enjoys the reputation of handling
some of the very finest goods sold in this
city. 1 refer to
GEO. NJ. OYSTER & Co.
You can't pass up or down the avenue
without noticing their capacious store just
on the corner as you turn down to Harris's
Theater, or If you are In the Center Market
their stalls are Nos 175, 176, and III, and
400, 401, and 492. Capt. Oyster (as he is
familiarly KNOWN assures me that he takes
special pride in the quality Of the butter he
handles. The "Darlington" print is his
fancy table butter, and Is worth 81 pound.
Gilt edged, tell you Then tho "Sharp.
less" is worth GO cents a pound TOR the
''cow print') and 80 cents q pound (for the
"sheaf print'O, and the Messrs. Oyster
handles from $50 to 1000 pounds OF this
butter every week. Their staple, every
day, eat all you please print is the 'clover
leaf" This is square print butter, bears
four.leaf clover, and Is worth 40 cents
pound. The print is protected by patent
registration. A very important speciality
with this house are the FIVE and eight pound
packages they put up for family use. The
demand for these goods is very large in the
army and navy circles. Now, you see,
am only limiting at some Of the leaders of
this old-established house. They handle all
the principal creamery productions of the
Elgin, New York, and Pennsylvania dairies
i hint at them because they are fine goods.
When speak Of an old ana reliable house
like the Oysters | cannot say word that
will strengthen their commercial standing;
no one can do that; 1t is only my promise to
say that have had number speak to me
OF Capt. Oysters butter long before / ever
sew the gentleman or thought Of writing
his name. / don't need to tell you that
OYSTERS is a good place to make your table
purchases. You know that. / can tell YOU
though, that house as long established has
more than an ordinary claim upon your con-
sideration.
Now pass to make few remarks upon
the matter Of light amusements. take up
this subject as a matter Of Justice to those
who are, from time to time, misrepre-
sented In contemporaneou journals, and
also to disabuse the public mind Of preju-
dice occasioned by ignorance. In every
large city there is q demand for light amuse-
ments, and In every large city there is at
least one variety theater. A variety theater
is one OF the most difficult enterprises to
conduct with permanent success. In this
city the task is, II anything, more difficult
than would be encountered In manufac-
turing locality, because social caste Is here
more pronounced than anywhere In Amer
lea. For this simple reason the danger
of degenerating to disreputable sur,
roundings Is one of the glaring evils the
local manager has to combat. The history
OF variety halls In Washington does not
afford, on the whole, the gratifying evi.
dences Of what might have been accom-.
plished, because tie career Of the Kernau's
since they opened their theater in this city
has made the dcgeneracy of former times
all the more apparent. From an acqualnt.
ance with the proprietor OF Washington's s
present variety theater ] can say that II
there ever was conscientious public SER
want, and one who has done, and is
doing, his utmost to impart every
possible tone, character, and responsibility
to his establishment it is MIR. Herman.
Don't you think he deserves particular
credit for this? You have no idea what
constant, careful watching 1t requires to
prevent the rabble from overriding what is
known as the popular house. And when
say "the popular" house mean the place
frequented by the class that patronizes low
priced amusements. There is one thing
to which attribute Mr.. Kernan's success,
and that is he never loses sight of the fact
that he is not merely conducting his busi-
ness for the present hour. Ills looks ahead,
and he provides for, and protects him
self against, the dangerous emer-
gencies certain to arise In his case as they
did with his predecessors. You must re-
member that there is an operating law of
fltness-a time and place for everything,
and while ! am as fastidious on the matter
Of character in theatrical entertainments as
any one, consider both Mr.. Herman and
his brother gentlemen, who are doing their
best to run good variety theater, and-as
such-it is credit to the city.
BILLY FORD.